The pediatric behavioral health care manager is a core member of the Collaborative Care team and will work in collaboration with the patient’s medical provider, psychiatric consultant, and the larger primary care team. The pediatric behavioral health care manager is responsible for systematically supporting and coordinating the mental and physical health care of patients who are followed using the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) and as determined in collaboration with the patient’s primary care provider. This position will be a combination of in-person and remote work, however the candidate should be located in the Northern Virginia area.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the mental and physical health care of patients on an CoCM patient caseload. Closely coordinate care with the patient’s primary care provider and other mental health providers.
• Screen and assess patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders. Facilitate patient engagement and follow-up care.
• Provide patient education about common mental health and substance abuse disorders and the available treatment options.
• Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients (in person or by telephone or telehealth) for changes in clinical symptoms, treatment side effects, or complications.
• Support psychotropic medication management as prescribed by medical providers, focusing on treatment adherence, monitoring, side effects, and effectiveness of treatment.
• Provide brief behavioral interventions using evidence-based techniques such as behavioral activation, problem-solving treatment, motivational interviewing, or other treatments as appropriate.
• Provide or facilitate in-clinic or outside referrals to evidence-based psychosocial treatments (e.g. problem-solving treatment or behavioral activation) as clinically indicated.
• Participate in regularly scheduled weekly caseload consultation with the psychiatric consultant and communicate resulting treatment recommendations to the patient’s primary care provider. Consultations will focus on patients new to the caseload, those who are not improving as expected under the current treatment plan, and those who are ready for relapse prevention and discharge planning. Case reviews may be conducted by telephone, telehealth, or in person.
• Document patient progress and treatment recommendations in EHR and other population health monitoring systems to facilitate communication with the patient, primary care providers, psychiatric consultant, and other treating providers.
• Facilitate treatment plan changes for patients who are not improving as expected in consultation with the medical provider and the psychiatric consultant and who may need more intensive or more specialized mental health care.
• Facilitate referrals for clinically indicated services outside of the organization (e.g., social services such as housing assistance, vocational rehabilitation, mental health specialty care, substance abuse treatment
• Develop and complete relapse prevention self-management plan with patients who have achieved their treatment goals and are soon to be discharged from the caseload.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate effectively in a team setting.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Ability to maintain effective and professional relationships with patient and other members of the care team.
• Experience with screening for common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
• Working knowledge of differential diagnosis of common mental health and/or substance abuse disorders, when appropriate.
• Ability to effectively engage patients in a therapeutic relationship, when appropriate.
• Ability to work with patients by telephone, telehealth and in person.
• Experience with assessment and treatment planning for common mental health and/or substance use disorders.
• Working knowledge of evidence-based psychosocial treatments and brief behavioral interventions for common mental health disorders, when appropriate (e.g., motivational interviewing, problem-solving treatment, behavioral activation).
• Basic knowledge of psychotropic treatments for common mental health disorders.

TRAINING & EDUCATION

• Masters in Social Work , Counseling or Psychology
• Registered Nurse (BSN)
• Nurse Practitioner